Tag Archives: running

I found the three inch windmill blocks in a drawer. I cannot remember when they were put together, but it must be a long time ago as I’m a bit better at matching points now. The individual pieces are tiny so I don’t think errors like that will show up – the quilt will be double bed size and these blocks make up only a tiny part of the whole.

I’m trying to clear myself some space in the room where I sit and sew. The amount of stuff I have in cupboards and drawers is invading my head as well as the room. If only I could get rid of my chest of drawers ….. so I’m on a stash busting mission. I went through all my scrap boxes and slightly bigger boxes trying to get fabrics which would blend. There are dressmaking leftovers from the late 1980s and early 1990s, recent leftovers, tiny bits of quilt fabric and because there wasn’t quite enough, my solar dyed pieces.

I’ll machine piece into 3 inch blocks before assembly. I want to produce one of those really old fashioned unplanned quilts such as our foremothers made out of every last leftover bit of fabric. And just in case you’re wondering, I am still hand sewing the tumbling blocks but that’s only for when a bit of hand sewing is needed.

After reading this post from Kate I am going to piece the wadding too and maybe the good bits of my stashed old sheets for the backing.

Remember the solar dyeing? Remember the summer?????

These were previously leftover pieces, some of them very small. I’ve cut them all up to include in this scrap quilt and I’m fascinated that every tiny piece is different. So much more interesting than the bits of commercial plain fabric I cut up.

1930s Dress Update

1933 Dress

I am toying with the idea of dyeing my own fabric for my 1930s dress and maybe trying to get some shade variation. Only trouble is I think I want lavender or maybe purple and I don’t think I’ll get that with a natural dye. I’ll keep on thinking.

Well, this is what I did. I was inspired by the Japanese Boro work to make this lap quilt. Some of the jeans are stretch so they were quite hard to work with but the embroidery stitches helped to stabilise those patches.

I don’t like to throw things away if I can help it and this was a fun way of using up fabric.

And old shirts make up the reverse.

Pre-used fabric is harder to work with than standard quilting cottons – it moves more if it’s well washed shirts and it’s very tough and worn if it’s old jeans.

I don’t think the results would stand comparison with quilts made from brand new fabric but recycling is in the quilting tradition and I like to think I am in that tradition. What do you do with your very old clothes – the ones the charity shops would spurn? Do you quilt? Make bags? I’d love to know. You can see what I’ve done with them before here.

On a completely different subject, I’ve signed up for Ilona’s 1,000 mile challenge. I plan to walk the dog, run and cycle my 1,000 miles.